Palladino: Chase's Behr back for one more shot By Joe Palladino Republican-American

WATERBURY -- Things were going to be different in girls basketball, everyone said, but I'll be darned, it looked rather familiar Saturday in the Kennedy High gymnasium.

There was a guy on the Chase Collegiate bench who looked a lot like former coach Ray Behr. Upon closer inspection, my gosh, it was Behr. He's back to give the Highlanders one season as interim head coach.

The scoreboard looked familiar, too. True, Holy Cross graduated six players from a championship team, and Naugatuck Valley League opponents were looking to take down the three-time defending league champions.

Um, I wouldn't celebrate Cross' demise just yet.

The Crusaders won the girls jamboree in impressive fashion, slipping past Chase in a tight opening quarter, 10-8. But then they looked like the Cross of old, using defensive pressure to frustrate Crosby in the semis, 24-14, and dashing past Kennedy in the final, 23-11.

But first, let's talk about the Behr sighting on Highland Avenue. When Behr stepped down as Chase coach after the 2010-11 season, he had amassed 493 victories over 25 years. He gave way to a former Chase star, Charlene Riddick, but he missed the game enough to volunteer to help out his daughter, Jen, at Oxford High. He kept the book and stayed connected.

But when Riddick stepped down after one season, back came Behr.

"When Char decided to go back to school, I thought that the team needed some consistency in philosophy," Behr said, "so I came back to make sure that the team was in a good spot."

Behr will stay for one season, then hand the reins to Bill Maisto. Behr will get him "on the right track with the same philosophy."

And the best part of all is that Behr can finish off that career milestone and get win No. 500. Already 1-0 this season, he needs just six more wins.

"Some people asked me why I would leave before 500 wins," Behr said. "You know, you lose sight of the wins. It's the kids. They accepted me back, and they want to get 500 for me. I'm at a program that I love, a school that I love, and I just love basketball."

Lovers of basketball flocked to Kennedy, more than 600 of them, to help get the season started. We got a glimpse of an impressive future on this day. There were quality freshmen on that floor, including an eighth-grader at Chase, Idalis Miranda, and a freshman guard at Kennedy, Lynadia Whiting, who demonstrated clearly that they are stars of the future.

But it was the Crusaders, again, who were the champions of the present. With the loss of sensational talent like Angelica Ariola, Briana Bradford and Danielle Dorsett, Cross' Kiera O'Donnell showed that she is ready to step forward and be one of the top players in the NVL. With the transfer to Cross of Chelsea Houlihan from Wolcott, HC is isn't drifting out of the NVL title picture for one good reason: The Crusaders still bring the trademark swarming defense.

O'Donnell led all scorers with 19 points and demonstrated the versatility that will make her tough to defend. She hit from the perimeter and scored on the blocks. Cross also showed versatility in the scorebook.

"After the first quarter, we gathered ourselves," added Lombardo. "We understood how to make some adjustments."

Yes, the city jamboree is just an exhibition, but we can learn from it. The Behr is back, the city girls talent pool is being enriched, and the Crusaders are still in the title picture.

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